Best Portable DVD Players
Mclatchy -Tribune News Service
Dec 03, 2009
Savvy business travelers know that battery life is precious, so why waste your laptop's battery on a movie when you can whip out a portable DVD player? Some of these eye-catching little units also provide great backseat entertainment for the kids on long road trips. New for 2009 we're starting to see some competition in the hi-res screen market with two players that offer 800x480 resolutions. Also, we've thrown in our first-ever review of a portable Blu-ray player.
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Toshiba SDP93S
- CNET rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
- The good: Large 9-inch screen with 800x480-pixel resolution; SD card slot; MP3, WMA; DivX playback; decent speaker performance.
- The bad: No USB port; included remote is a tad large.
- The cost: $125.95 to $179.99
- The bottom line: A high-res 9-inch screen, solid battery life, SD card slot and DivX playback make this portable DVD player easy to recommend.
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Sony DVP-FX930
- CNET rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)
- The good: Hi-res 9-inch screen with 800x480 resolution; full 180-degree swivel screen; includes remote control, AV cable, and car charger; reliable 6-hour battery.
- The bad: Somewhat hefty 2.7-pound weight; no USB port or flash card reader; no support for DivX or other digital video files.
- The cost: $137.95 to $189.99
- The bottom line: The combination of a stunning high-resolution 9-inch screen, long battery life and impressive design makes the Sony DVP-FX930 a winning portable DVD player.
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Panasonic DVD LS83
- CNET rating: 3 stars out of 5 (Good)
- The good: Portable DVD player with 8.5-inch collapsible screen; excellent digital file support includes DivX, MPEG4, MP3, WMA, JPEG compatibility; includes AV connectivity wires and car charger.
- The bad: Screen hides buttons when folded to tablet position; unintuitive control layout; no remote control; average picture quality; no USB port or flash card reader.
- The cost: $259
- The bottom line: The Panasonic DVD-LS83 is a solid-performing portable DVD player, though you may be able to find a similar player for a cheaper price.
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Insignia NS-PDVD8
- CNET rating: 3 stars out of 5 (Good)
- The good: Portable DVD player with 8.5-inch screen; screen swivels and folds flat for tablet-style viewing; three headphone jacks; AV inputs and outputs.
- The bad: Picture quality is subpar; no notable extras such as a USB port or flash media slot; rubberized plastic housing is a fingerprint magnet; does not include iPod video accessory wire; remote control is too large and doesn't have volume control.
- The cost: $140
- The bottom line: Even though its picture is subpar and the battery doesn't last long, the Insignia NS-PDVD8 should be good enough for someone looking for the most basic affordable portable DVD player.
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The following CNET staff contributed to this story: Assistant Editor Jeff Bakalar and Senior Features Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, please visit www.cnet.com.
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